The dictionary definition of doe eyes describes large, innocent-looking eyes. If you weren’t born with Bambi-esque peepers, then worry not. Doe eyes is the latest make-up trend to sweep TikTok, with over 494M views and counting, so there’s plenty of eye-opening inspiration to be found.
If you’re up on your trending make-up hashtags, you’ve probably come across siren eyes - the sultry, sexy, heavy-on-the-liner look that lifts and widens the eye like a beguiling Catwoman. Doe eyes are much more subdued and cutesy, making the eyes appear larger and more wide-awake, like a ‘60s-inspired Disney Princess. “The doe eye makeup look creates an innocent wide-eyed style in comparison to the sexier smokey and cat eye makeup looks,” explains Jamie Coombes, Dior Pro International Makeup Artist. The doe eyes trend does bear a few crucial hallmarks – a bright waterline, a neutral eyeshadow base, and superbly curled eyelashes, with the best mascara bringing some lower lash drama. The overall effect is rather doll-like and incredibly flattering.
So if you’ve ever wanted to make your eyes look bigger, doe eyes could be a perfect match. We’ve enlisted the help of expert make-up artists to reveal their easy-to-follow tips and create this sweet and versatile look.
What is the doe eyes trend?
So what defines doe eyes? It’s a look that you can really play around with, tweaking the elements to suit your eye shape. Generally speaking, the look starts with a wash of neutral shadow across the eyelid. White liner is applied to the waterline to knock out any redness and make the eye appear more awake, adding a dash of highlighter on the inner corner. Next comes eyeliner, rounded over the upper lash line, before coating lashes with mascara applied in upward strokes. The result is big, open eyes with plenty of lash action.
Doe eyes also come with many perks. Firstly, they’ll make small eyes look larger. It’s also one of the best eyeshadow looks to help brighten the eye and disguise signs of fatigue when you’ve been burning the candle at both ends. And the good news doesn’t stop there. According to Coombes, “The doe eye look suits most eye shapes as it makes the eye look wider and larger.” However, Coombes does admit that if you’re looking for make-up for hooded eyes, doe eyes might not be the right choice. “The makeup will just vanish and can make the eyelid look heavier,” he says.
How to do doe eyes, according to a makeup artist
Ready to open your eyes? Jamie Coombes shares his step-by-step process for doe eyes:
- Prep the eye area with serum and fix with powder.
- Apply a neutral shade over the eyelid. Using a deeper color, add soft definition along the socket, focusing slightly more on the outer socket area.
- Apply liner along the upper lash line, taking it wider from the mid to outer lash line, stopping where the lash finishes.
- Add a little highlighter on the inner corner of the eye then use white kohl along the waterline to open up the eyes.
- Curl lashes and dress with mascara, working in an upward motion to create length and enhance the widened eye shape.
doe eyes vs siren eyes
Forget Brad and Angelina. The biggest battle in the social domain right now is between two TikTok eyeliner looks - siren eyes versus doe eyes. As trends go, they are night and day. Where siren eyes smolder, doe eyes sparkle. Siren eyes are defined by a sharp wing of eyeliner that stretches out both ways, past the inner and outer corners, with lashes swept outward to lift and elongate the eye. The effect is alluring, seductive, and arguably better suited to evening wear.
Doe eyes, on the other hand, are all about making the eyes look larger, brighter, and more rounded. They feature a white-lined waterline, a dash of highlighter in the inner corner, and rounded eyeliner (you can add a little flick at the wing if that suits your eye shape). Mascara is piled onto the central lashes and swept straight up to reinforce the shape. As doe is a softer look than siren, this is an example of when softer brown wins out in brown vs black mascara (another TikTok debate.)
The best makeup for doe eyes, by our beauty editor
